ON CHANGE OF ANCIENT JAPANESE FAITH ACCOMPANYING ACCEPTANCE OF SWORDS CULTURE
1998 Volume 31 Issue 2 Pages 40-54
Details
1998 Volume 31 Issue 2 Pages 40-54
In ancient Japan, the concept of gods had been changed as passing of time. From this fact, it is expected that Japanese primitive faith had been changed, as sword culture was transmitted from China. In this paper, we describe transformation of primitive belief and foundation of unique Japanese sword culture, in the process of accepting sword culture.
The summary is as follows:
1. Sword culture influenced ancient Japanese mental world, and changed belief in the fire. This belief in the fire changed from destructive to constructive and part of this had been absorbed in the concept of sword.
2. Originally, ancient people believed in god of snake that supported farming. But, as the time went by, power of god of snake had declined, and this faith was absorbed in the concept of the sword.
3. Power of god of thunder had decline, too. The belief in this had concentrated at peculiar god “Takemikazuchi”, and this had been related to sword.
4. The sword came to absorb concepts of fire and snake. And related to “Takemikazuchi”, it was recognized as god itself.
5. From the above discussion, it is assumed that there is a unique Japanese way of thinking that sword is related to god. This is thought to be a foundation of concept of sword in Japan.
